A Tour of My Keeper Shelf: The Black Jewels Triology by Anne Bishop

I read between 100 and 300 books every year, so I read a lot.  Even with ebooks, if I kept every book I read, I’d need a whole house just for storage.  This has forced me to be selective, so when I call a book or a series a keeper, it means I plan to reread it.  One series that enjoys a permanent place on my keeper shelf is the Black Jewels Trilogy by Anne Bishop.

Plot

The trilogy tells the story of Jaenelle, a young girl born to fulfill a terrifying prophecy.  Jaenells is Witch, the most powerful Queen ever born to the Blood, the magical caste, and she is destined to save the world.  Unfortunately, she is born into a family who neither loves nor understands her, and despite her power, she is still a vulnerable child.  As she grows, she makes dangerous enemies and powerful allies.  Her three staunchest defenders are Saetan, the High Lord of Hell, and his two powerful sons Daemon and Lucivar.  For these three men, Jaenelle is the Queen they endured eons of abuse in  hopes of serving.

My Take

This book is not light.  It deals with child abuse and rape, and it contains graphic violence.  It does, however, have light moments, and Bishop has a talent for injecting humor and wonder intro a very dark and frightening world.

It’s Bishop’s world-building and her characters that keep me coming back.  The books are just delightful despite the dark subject matter.

Critics call Jaenelle a Mary Sue and cite the overblown cruelty of the villains, and those criticisms are valid, but when I’m reading the books, I don’t care.  Some reviewers have claimed that the books read as if the paper were laced with drugs, and they aren’t wrong.  The story is strong enough to make me forget to be a literary critic, and that is highest praise I can give any book.

Recommendation

If you like fantasy, I’d recommend giving this trilogy a try.  I first read it eight or nine years ago, and I’ve read it again at least once every year since.  It can still make me cry.